1st Full Week of September

 Here are some highlights from the 1st full week of September.

Hudson playing w/ his new lawn mower bubble blower and the old one.  Cute Hudson sleeping.  Hudson helping Steve wash the chalk off the retaining wall so he could draw some more!  Piper just watching and trying to bite the stream of water.

My neighbor Kyle and I are the new girls' Primary Activity leaders.  Her daughter Kaitlyn is in our group, along w/ all the girls in our ward ages 8-11.  We did a get to know you our first activity, and they all said they wanted to do cooking.  So this time I decided to show them how to make quick easy snacks after school.  

We started w/ 3 different kinds of popcorn.  We did one in the microwave w/ just a little oil then salt, then cheddar popcorn in the Whirley Pop on the oven, then kettle corn in the Whirley Pop on the oven.  They each took turns helping.  Lastly I showed them how to make Protein Balls (requires no cooking or oven).  While the Protein Balls set up, we went and talked about goals, had them write one down to work on for the next 2 weeks, then they decorated their folders a little.  They had a great time and ate all the snacks we made.

Me showing the girls the coconut oil as it melts in the Whirley Pop.  

Making Protein Balls.  Making popcorn in the microwave.

After a few visits to the Dr., we now know that Nyles has Asthma.  He would cough and cough and cough, especially at night time, and nothing would help.  We are on the 2nd type of medicine to help him, which seems to be working.  Steve has it as well, mostly while exercising, but many people in the family have it too.  Nyles now takes an inhaler both morning and night, and an "emergency" inhaler throughout the day if we have bad air quality or other triggers.  We had smoke blow in this week, so that definitely set him off.  We're thankful to be on the right track though and have new meds that are working to help him.

Cute Hudson in his many sleeping positions.

Silly Hudson got all wet, so we took off his clothes, then we wanted to go play in the sand.  He looked like he was doing Yoga moves haha.  Then off to the bath before bedtime.  He LOVES putting his head in the water for some reason.  

Nyles and Hudson eating a ring pop on the swing, then playing in the sandbox.

Pretty flowers in bloom around the yard.  

Another time where Hudson laid in the water.  It must have felt good as it's been so hot!

Hudson spraying the lawn w/ the hose.  Then playing in bubbles again in the bath.

On Friday night, we had dinner, then Nyles and Carter ran outside to play on the trampoline.  Steve and I were cleaning up when we heard Carter crying.  I saw him running in, holding his wrist.  Steve didn't see him, so he thought he got stung by a bee or something.  When he came in, it took a minute for him to calm down.  Nyles didn't see what happened so he wasn't sure.  Carter finally told us that he was trying to get off the trampoline while holding a bouncy ball in his hand, and got his foot stuck in the net around the trampoline and tripped and fell down.  He landed on his left wrist.  Steve felt it and thought it seemed like it might be broke and said we'd better take him into the Dr.  So, Steve then left and took Carter.  A while later they did x-rays, and sure enough he broke his left arm.  They put a brace on it, and told Steve to call on Monday to see if our Pediatrician would cast it for him.  They don't put casts on right then also, since they need the swelling to go down.  They also said to keep up on the Ibuprofen for the pain and inflammation, which we did over the weekend.

Carter waiting to see the Dr., his x-ray of his broken bone, then getting a temporary wrist brace.

On Saturday, Dave came and picked up Steve, Nyles and Carter, and went up to Farmington Bay for a Youth Waterfowl Festival.  They went last year, and had so much fun they wanted to go again.  They met Stacie, Claire and Conor up there as well.  Phill came over once he was done w/ a service project too.  They all had a great time and want to go back next year!  I stayed home w/ Hudson while he took a nap and cleaned the house.

Nyles w/ his free duck call he got, Dave, Conor, Stacie, Claire and Carter at a booth.  

Carter w/ cat-tail fuzz, then getting ready for a boat ride.

Claire, Dave and Stacie ready for a ride on the other side.  More fun going around the festival.

Practicing their duck calls and holding the puppies.  

They had dogs who would retrieve dummy ducks and some that would do pointing for pheasants.

They also went on an airboat ride.

Nyles practicing w/ the bow, then trying fly fishing.

The boys under the umbrellas, then waiting for door prizes.  Carter trying the Nerf guns.

Hudson eating a Greek yogurt popsicle and Nyles lost another tooth.  Dave and Joann came over for dinner Saturday evening and gave Carter a couple puzzles to cheer him up, which he wanted to do right away.  He also got some Oreos to share w/ the family. :) 

On Sunday, Pauline and her family came over for dinner and played for a little bit before needing to go back for a youth get together w/ their bishop.  They gave Carter a cute CareBear to let him know they care (also from Barb's family), and some Popsicles.  

Lincoln and Hudson went outside and playing in the sandbox for a while.  Somehow Lincoln got sand ALL over him, including in his hair.  Pauline rinsed him off before heading home.  We then went for a walk since the temperatures were nice.  Hudson had to get another Popsicle for the ride.  Carter rode in the wagon for a little while w/ his CareBears.

Carter w/ his new CareBear.  Then doing his new puzzles.  

Nyles showing off his duck statue he got at the Youth Waterfowl Festival.

Great quotes.

Labor Day Weekend

 Here are some highlights from our Labor Day Weekend.  

Saturday morning Steve, Nyles, Dave and Rob went fishing at Strawberry Reservoir.  

They had a good time and even caught a few fish.  Nyles out fished everyone though.

After they got back in the afternoon we went to a movie together.  It was "Cinema Day" so the tickets were only $3/person.  I haven't been in years, so we thought we'd go as a family.  We met Dave, Joann and Diane there.  We watched the new Minions movie, "The Rise of Gru."  It was a cute show.

The boys playing w/ magnets Sunday morning.  Carter drawing on the Doodle Board during Sacrament Meeting.  We had dinner w/ Dave, Joann, Diane and LuDean Sunday evening.  Hudson had a canker sore and didn't want to eat the hard chocolate on his Mickey bar, so Diane helped him out, thanks!  Piper liked checking out the tent the boys were playing in.

It's been so HOT!  Hudson ends up getting his clothes wet then we end up taking them off to dry.  After dinner on Sunday night, Lynsie came over and stayed the night.  She had stickers on her face she wanted to show her mom to see before taking them off to put sunscreen on.

Monday afternoon we met Stacie, Phill, London Claire and Conor at the Cottonwood Heights Rec Center to go swimming.  Dave and Joann met us all there as well.  It was so hot, if people weren't up the canyon to cool off, they were at the swimming pools.  It was super busy!  We had a great time though.

Conor about to jump off the plank.  Nyles took a turn.  Phill, Claire, Stacie and Lynsie playing in the water.  After a while Carter got cold so he got out and stayed by Joann.  Joann went in for a while but the water was a little too cold so it hurt her knee and she got out as well.

Nyles jumping off the plank.

Conor got a little cold as well, so Carter and him made a fort w/ the towels.

The kids taking a snack break (Lynsie, Claire, Conor and Nyles).

After swimming we went over to Dave/Joann's for pizza.  Steve went and picked it up at Sam's Club.  He stayed back at our house while Hudson took a nap.  Plus Steve still isn't able to get his leg fully submerged into water yet.  He has to wait 2 weeks before doing that or lifting anything more than 20 lbs.  We missed him, but definitely want him to be safe and not undo the surgery they did.

Our car gauge showing how hot it is!  Hudson playing w/ Claire pulling little puppies on a string, then eating ice cream.  I took off the chocolate for him as well.

Later Hudson in the bath.  He LOVES water!  Some of our pretty flowers in bloom!

Good quote.

Last Couple Days of August

Here are some highlights from the last week of August.

All 3 boys had their doctor visit together.  Here are their stats.

• Nyles:  Height 4'9" (78%), Weight 94lb 6 oz (91%).
• Carter: Height 3'9" (30%), Weight 45lbs 14oz (45%).
• Hudson: Height 2'9" (21%), Weight 26lbs 11oz (33%)

Hudson playing w/ his leaf bubble blower, then just laying in the sandbox.

On Tuesday, August 30th, Steve had surgery (I took the day off work).  He had a vein oblation.  He had some of his veins removed due to the blood clot he had a year ago.  The blood clot had stopped the blood in his leg from flowing correctly.  Dave thankfully was able to take him.  As Steve stood up to leave, his incision started bleeding again, so he had to sit down, change his bandage and wait a while longer.  They were finally able to come home that afternoon.  Steve then had to lay down (keep him leg up) the rest of the day.

Steve's leg w/ the bandages where they did the oblation.  Steve ready to go.

While Steve was resting, I went to take the boys to martial arts.  I closed the garage and left, not noticing anything.  Well as Steve was laying down on our bed, above the garage, he heard a big bang.  He then went down to look inside the garage, and noticed the spring had broken.  He called me and told me to NOT open the garage.  Steve then called the garage repair company to tell them and ask when our new garage door was going to be there.  Ironically they said they just got it in.  They checked their schedule and were then able to get us in on Thursday for our new garage door to be installed!  

After we replaced the garage door motor, we technically didn't have to replace the door.  But since it was needing to be replaced, we figured we my as well as order one.  It of course took a few months to get in, and it just so happened that the day our garage door spring broke, our new one came in.  They were then able to "squeeze" us into their schedule since it was urgent.  Thankfully we had one car out of the garage as well, so we were able to take the boys to school and back the day before they could come.  We are thankful we followed the prompting to order the door at the time, even though it wasn't needed just yet.  It was definitely a blessing/miracle/tender mercy of the Lord.  

The spring that broke on our garage door.  Hudson likes to come up to Steve or I and say "hold you."  While Steve was elevating his foot, Hudson came up to him and said it, so Steve held him.

Hudson playing in the water, then using the broom to "paint" the sidewalk.

He LOVES being outside and playing.

Later playing ball w/ Piper, Hudson climbed into the water table.  Then Piper dropped the ball behind Hudson in the water table.  Then taking a bath w/ his "Baby Shark."

It's been SOOO HOT!  We've had record heat, above 100 degrees.  Cute Hudson bum.  Our new garage door getting installed, and the new spring for the door.

The old garage door vs the new one.  Steve had to put bolts in the old one because the previous owner backed up into it while in still in the garage, causing the panel to separate.

Cute Hudson sleeping.

Great quote.

4th Week of August

 Here are some highlights from the 4th week of August.

Hudson playing w/ his shark during bath time.  Baby Shark.

My friend Eve came over for dinner Tuesday night.  She came from Missouri to visit her sister before she passed away here in SLC, then they had her funeral a week later.  We were able to sneak in a visit in between all her family stuff.  I'm thankful she was able to come.  It was great to catch up w/ her.  We wish she lived closer so we could visit more often.

On Wednesday, August 24th, while I was working in our room, I heard some noises in Hudson's room and thought it was Steve.  Well a little while later, Hudson opened our bedroom door.  I picked him up, thinking Steve was close by, but he was downstairs.  I then realized he must have figured out how to climb out of his crib by himself.  I then put him back in his crib to see if he could do it again, and sure enough, he climbed out all by himself!

Eve and I.  Silly Piper just relaxing in our room while I work. 

Hudson so proud of himself after figuring out how to climb out of his crib.

Hudson climbing out of his crib.

Cute boys playing in the sandbox (we've been going out each morning to play before it gets hot and before school many days).  Then playing on the playground after school.  We are starting to pick our pears from our tree.  We have a LOT this year!

Cute Hudson and his silly poses while napping.  

Hudson fell outside on the pavement while playing w/ chalk and got a scrape on his knee.

Friday after school, Steve took the boys to Classic Fun Center for a couple hours to play on their scooters and do some games.  They met a their friends Colin and Austin.  

Afterwards they got a snow cone.

On Saturday, August 27th, we floated down the Provo River.  Rob came over and went down w/ us.  We then met Stacie/Phill/Claire/Conor at the launch site.  It was a little tricky getting in since the river is moving pretty good, but we eventually got everyone in and met up a little later down the river.

We connected Carter on the back of Steve's kayak and Hudson sat in front of him.

On our way!

The river was moving us along most of the way.  Only a few spots were needed to keep going.  

There were a few places where we went through small rapids, but they were fun!

We stopped for just a minute as we got everyone together again.  Then we were on our way again.  There were LOTS of people going down on innertubes, and some on paddle boards.

We stopped one more time to get out and go around a bridge.  We read that the innertubes going down the river should get out so they don't hit the bridge walls and pop, and since we couldn't see around the corner, we decided to get out as well.  Mostly we didn't want to chance it w/ Hudson and Carter connected w/ Steve.  After looking at it from the other side, we think we could have gone through the bridge.  We'll have to try next time, assuming the water isn't running fast.

Nyles, Claire, Me, Conor and Stacie going down the river.

We made it!  It was a so fun!  Dave/Joann came and met us at the end of the river.  They then took Steve and Phill back to the top to get our cars/trailers and came back.  Stacie and I worked to get all of our kayaks moved closer to the parking lot.  We definitely want to do it again soon.  The trickiest part was getting in and out, so we'll have to check into that before going again.   Thanks for the fun!

Picking more pears from our tree.  Hudson made a mess, then got his vacuum to clean it up :)

Sunday evening we went over to Diane/LuDean's for dinner and to celebrate Hudson' birthday w/ them and Dave/Joann.  Diane had a cute fishing shark game we all played.  Hudson also loves to play w/ the toy BBQ set whenever we come to visit.

Taking turns fishing for sharks.  Carter caught one!

Hudson playing w/ his birthday hat and trying to catch a shark.

We then sang Happy Birthday to Hudson w/ his dinosaur cake I made.  

Hudson had fun trying to sing w/ us and then blowing out the candles.  He did great!

Singing Happy Birthday to Hudson.

His brothers then helped him open his gifts.  Thank you for the thoughtful gifts and Diane for the super fun game and cute decorations.  We really appreciate you thoughtfulness.

Hudson opening his bubble leaf blower, tunnel, then Mickey Mouse stuffed animal.

Great quotes.